What a difference 25 years makes. Maserati, once tainted by bad business deals and shoddy merchandise, not to mention an ill-fated tieup with Chrysler products, Maserati is a plain-out player these days. The Pininfarina-designed GranTurismo is a stunning car in any format, and with a 440-hp Ferrari-derived V8 and new MC-Shift dual-clutch tranny, it'll likely gain a few extra grains of road respect among the Aston-Martin-Uber-Alles set. Maserati reps assure us the automanual is a real achievement, not just some sluggish wetbox. Meow. Full press release after the jump.

With its classic long-hood GT proportions, the Maserati GranTurismo has fantastic style. But while…
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Maserati presents the GranTurismo S

Modena - February 26th, 2008. A year after the unveiling of the GranTurismo, Maserati will be back at the Geneva International Motorshow with yet another world premiere, the GranTurismo S. The ultimate expression of the Trident coupé's sportiness shifts the emphasis onto performance and driving enjoyment.

Two main novelties are at the heart of the new Maserati: the 440 HP V8 4.7 engine and the electro-actuated gearbox with fast MC-Shift arranged in the Transaxle layout typical of high-performance sports cars that represents the technological DNA of all Maseratis.

The GranTurismo S makes use of the high-performance brake system developed in collaboration with Brembo and introduced for the first time in the automotive field on the Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S. The system features front brake discs made with dual-cast technology - a dual casting of cast iron and aluminum, paired with aluminum mono-bloc 6-piston brake calipers, ensuring optimized braking performance.

On the exterior the Maserati GranTurismo S is characterised by a number of aesthetic modifications that, although discrete, are highly effective and make the car body appear sportier without abandoning the sleekness of the lines masterfully designed by Pininfarina.

The interior upholstered in Poltrona Frau leather and Alcantara reflects the sporty flair of the Maserati GranTurismo S; the figure-hugging front and rear seats are distinguished by their new dynamic design with horizontal piping on the seats and seatbacks